Apparatus to be used with ingots



B. OPLETAL.

4 iZneets-Sheetv 1 INVENTOR. 50/) u s /a'z/- fl v/efa/ BY Sept. 17, 1968APPARATUS TO BE USED WITH INGOTS Filed Dec. 19, 1966 Sept. 17, 1968 I B.OPLETAL 3,401,739

APPARATUS I0 BE USED WITH INGOTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 19, 1966fiu 5 /a1/' 0 9/m1/ INVENTOR.

Sept. 17, 1968 B. OPLETAL APPARATUS TO BE USED WITH INGOTS 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 19, 1966 muflurn n1n uui INVENTOR.

Sept. 17, 1968 B. OPLETAL APPARATUS TO BE USED WITH INGOTS Filed Dec.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 50/; us /a u' fl o/efa/ INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,401,739 APPARATUS TO BE USED WITH INGOTS BohuslavOpletal, Brno, Czechoslovakia, assignor to CHEPOS Sdruzeni Chemickeho aPotravinarskeho Strojirenstvi, Brno, Czechoslovakia Filed Dec. 19, 1966,Ser. No. 602,901 Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia, Dec. 22,1965, 7,687/65 Claims. (Cl. 164-408) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Theapparatus of the invention includes a support means that has a maincylinder in which a main piston is slidable, said main cylinderextending vertically during use of the apparatus with the main pistonwhich is slidable in the main cylinder being fixed to a piston rod thatextends upwardly beyond the main cylinder and carries at its upper end asuspending means by which the piston rod and all of the remainingstructure of the invention is suspended from a suitable lifting andlowering device, such as a crane. The main piston carries a nonreturnvalve means which provides for flow of fluid from the space in the maincylinder beneath the main piston to the space in the main cylinder overthe main piston, while preventing flow of fluid in the reverse directionfrom the space over the main piston to the space beneath the latter. Alower conduit communicates with the space in the main cylinder beneaththe main piston, and a reservoir which contains a suitable hydraulicliquid is in permanent communication with the lower conduit whichcommunicates permanently with the space in the main cylinder beneath themain piston therein. An upper conduit communicates permanently with thespace in the main cylinder over the main piston, and a second nonreturnvalve means is carried by and coacts with this upper conduit to providefor flow of fluid out of the space in the main cylinder over the mainpiston and through the upper conduit, while preventing flow of fluid inthe reverse direction through the upper conduit into the space over themain piston.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to apparatuswhich is to be used with ingots. In particular, it relates to anapparatus which may be used for stripping ingot molds from ingots aswell as for transporting ingot molds and ingots. The apparatus of thisinvention is particularly adapted for use with a lifting and loweringdevice, such as a crane which has a lifting capacity suflicient to carrythe apparatus of the invention as well as the ingot and mold.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a strippingapparatus capable of stripping an ingot mold from an ingot whileoperating exclusively in response to lifting and lowering movements of acrane or the like from which the apparatus of the invention issuspended.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the referredto type which is completely self-contained with its own closed hydrauliccircuit and which is capable of automatically controlling the movingparts of the device in response to lifting and lowering movements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of theaforementioned type which is simple in construction and can be operatedin a simple manner that does not require the use of any separate controlassemblies.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide a device of thistype which can optionally be used for transporting ingots by themselvesor for transporting molds by themselves.

A releasable holding means is provided to act on a part 3,401,739Patented Sept. 17, 1968 which is to be worked on by the apparatus of theinvention, and this releasable holding means is displaceable between aholding position holding this part and a release position releasing thelatter part. An auxiliary cylinder is carried by the support means, andan auxiliary piston is slidable in the auxiliary cylinder and carries anauxiliary piston rod which coacts with the releasable holding means fordisplacing the latter between its release and holding positions inresponse to movement of the auxiliary piston and auxiliary cylinder onewith respect to the other. An auxiliary conduit communicates with theauxiliary cylinder to direct fluid into and out of the latter duringmovement of the auxiliary piston in opposite directions therein. Areturn flow conduit communicates with the reservoir, and a distributingvalve means of the invention communicates with the upper conduit, theauxiliary conduit, and the return flow conduit to provide in oneposition of the distributing valve means communication between the upperconduit and the auxiliary conduit, while preventing communicationbetween the auxiliary conduit and the return flow conduit, so thatduring a reduction in the volume of the space in the main cylinder overthe main piston therein the fluid will flow from the upper conduitthrough the distributing valve means into the auxiliary conduit toactuate the auxiliary piston. The distributing valve means has anotherposition where it places the auxiliary conduit in communication with thereturn flow conduit while cutting ofl communication between theauxiliary conduit and the upper conduit, so that at this time fluid canreturn from the auxiliary cylinder to the reservoir.

A ram cylinder is also carried by the support means, this ram cylinderbeing situated at an elevation lower than the main cylinder and havingin its interior a ram piston to which a ram means is fixedly connected,this ram means extending downwardly beyond the ram cylinder to theexterior thereof and pressing against a part which is to be worked uponby the apparatus of the invention during an increase in the volume ofthe space in the ram cylinder that is situated over the ram piston. Thespace in the ram cylinder beneath the ram piston communicates with theouter atmosphere, and a ram conduit communicates with the space in theram cylinder over the ram piston and with the distributing valve meansto receive fluid from the upper conduit through the distributing valvemeans when the latter is in its position providing communication betweenthe auxiliary conduit and the return flow conduit, so that at this timefluid will flow from the space in the main cylinder over the main pistoninto the space in the ram cylinder over the ram piston. On the otherhand, when the distributing valve means is in its position providingcommunication between the upper conduit and the auxiliary conduit, thedistributing valve means simultaneously places the ram conduit incommunication with the return flow conduit, so that at this time thefluid can flow out of the space in the ram cylinder over the ram pistonand back to the reservoir. An actuating means is operatively connectedon the one hand to the distributing valve means and on the other hand tothe main piston rod for displacing the distributing valve means betweenits positions in response to movement of the main piston rod through agiven stroke.

Summary of the invention-brief description of the drawings The inventionis illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which formpart of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional front elevation of one embodiment of a strippingapparatus according to the invention, this embodiment being adapted forstripping ingot molds from ingots where the ingot and mold taper so asto have upper ends which are smaller than the lower ends;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the manner in which the structureof FIGS. 1 and 2 operates, the parts being shown during connection ofthe apparatus of the invention to an ingot mold;

FIG. 4 shows the position which the parts of FIG. 3 take, also in aschematic manner, during actual stripping of the mold from the ingot;

FIG. 5 is a partly sectional front elevation of a second embodiment of astripping device in accordance with the invention, this embodiment beingadapted for use with an ingot and mold assembly which have upper endslarger than the lower ends;

FIG. 6 is a partly sectional side elevation of the structure of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the manner in which theembodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 operates during connection of the apparatusof the invention to an ingot;

FIG. 8 shows schematically the position which the parts of FIGS. 5-7take during actual stripping of the mold from the ingot; and

FIG. 9 shows details, a ratchet and pawl arrangement and a distributingvalve means and is explanatory of the connection of the ratchet to thedistributing valve means.

Description of preferred embodiments Referring now to the drawings ingreater detail and to FIGS. 14 in particular, the apparatus illustratedin FIGS. 1 to 4 includes a support means S which includes a maincylinder 5 that extends vertically during use of the apparatus. A mainpiston 3 is slidable within the main cylinder 5. A piston rod 2 is fixedto the main piston 3 and extends therefrom in a fluid-tight mannerthrough the top wall of the cylinder 5 to an elevation above the latterwhere the upper end of the piston rod 2 is fixed to a suspending means 1by means of which the entire apparatus is suspended from a lifting andlowering device C which may take the form of a crane having a hook towhich the suspending means 1 can be attached. Thus, this suspendingmeans 1 may take the form of a suitable shackle, eye, or the like, fixedto the top end of the piston rod 2 and receiving a hook of the liftingand lowering device C.

The piston 3 carries a nonreturn valve means 4 which provides for flowof hydraulic liquid or other suitable fluid from the space in the maincylinder 5 beneath the piston 3 therein to the space in the maincylinder 5 over the main piston 3, while this nonreturn valve means 4prevents the reverse flow of fluid from the space over the piston 3 tothe space beneath the latter.

A lower conduit 30 is in permanent communication with the space in thecylinder 5 beneath the piston 3 therein, and a reservoir 6 whichsurrounds the main cylinder 5 and which is carried by the support meansS is in permanent communication with the lower conduit 30, as shownparticularly in a schematic manner in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this way, inresponse to movement of the piston 3 and cylinder 5 one with respect tothe other liquid can flow freely at any time into and out of the spacein the cylinder 5 beneath the piston 3.

An upper conduit 32 communicates with the space in the main cylinder 5over the piston 3 therein, and this upper conduit 32 carries a nonreturnvalve means 19 which provides for flow of fluid out of the space in thecylinder 5 over the piston 3 and through the upper conduit 32. On theother hand, the nonreturn valve means 19 prevents the reverse flow offluid from the upper conduit 32 into the main cylinder 5.

A ram cylinder 7 is fixedly carried by the support means S, and in theembodiment of FIGS. 14, this ram cylinder 7 is coaxial with the maincylinder 5 while being situated at an elevation lower than the maincylinder 5. A ram piston 8 is slidable in the ram cylinder 7, and a rammeans 9 takes the form of a piston rod fixed to and extending from thepiston 9 in a fluid-type manner through and beyond the bottom end of theram cylinder 8, the lower end of the ram means 9 being adapted todirectly engage and press against the top end of the ingot 21. A ramconduit 34 communicates permanently with the space in the ram cylinder 7over the ram piston 8, while the space in the ram cylinder 7 beneath thepiston 8 communicates permanently with the outer atmosphere as, forexample, through an opening 36 shown in FIG. 3 and 4.

The support means S also carries a releasable holding means H forreleasably holding a part which is to be worked on by the apparatus ofthe invention, this part being the ingot mold 20 in the example of FIGS.1-4. The ingot mold 20 has at its top end a pair of opposed lugs 38which are engaged by the releasable holding means H. This releasableholding means includes a pair of bell crank levers pivotally carried bya pair of opposed extensions which project from opposite sides of thecylinder 7, which forms part of the support means S. Each of these bellcranks of the releasable holding means includes a lever arm 10 of asubstantially U-shaped configuration having a lower end portion adaptedto extend beneath and engage a lug 38, and each of the bell cranks hasan upper arm 11 which extends substantially horizontally, these armsbeing disposed at opposite sides of the cylinder 7 with the latterextending between the arms 11 of the pair of bell cranks. Furthermore,the bell cranks include projections 12, respectively, fixed to the arms10 thereof and adapted to engage the upper end face of the mold 20 atopposed parts thereof, as described below.

The support means S fixedly carries over the pair of arms 11 of the pairof bell cranks a pair of auxiliary cylinders 13 which respectively haveauxiliary pistons 14 slidable therein, and these pistons 14 arerespectively fixed with a pair of auxiliary piston rods 40 the bottomends of which engage the arms 11, respectively. An auxiliary conduit 42communicates with each auxiliary cylinder 13 and more particularly withthe space therein situated over the auxiliary piston 14, while the spacein each cylinder 13 beneath the piston 14 communicates with the outeratmosphere, as through an opening 44 shown in FIG. 3.

A distributing valve means 15 is carried by the support means S directlynext to the reservoir 6, and this distributing valve means 15, inaddition to communicating with the upper conduit 32, the ram conduit 34,and the auxiliary conduit 42, communicates with a return flow conduit 46which. is in permanent communication with the reservoir 6 for thehydraulic liquid. This distributing valve means 15 is displaceablebetween the positions thereof shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the position ofFIG. 3 the distributing valve means 15 places the upper conduit 32 incommunication with the auxiliary conduit 42, while the ram conduit 34communicates with the return fiow conduit 46, and in the position ofFIG. 4 the distributing valve means 15 places the auxiliary conduit 42in communication with the return flow conduit 46 while at the same timeplacing the upper conduit 32 in communication with the ram conduit 34.

An actuating means A is provided for automatically actuating thedistributing valve means 15 so as to successively displace it betweenthe positions thereof shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This actuating means Aincludes a ratchet wheel 16 which is operatively connected with therotary valve member of the distributing valve means 15 and which issituated at the exterior of the latter, as shown in FIG. 1. A pawl 18coacts with the ratchet wheel 16 and is carried by the lower end of oneof a plurality of guide bars 17 which are fixed to and extend downwardlyfrom the suspending means 1, these bars being guided through suitableopenings in a flange projecting from the top end of the main cylinder 5,as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, the actuating means A is connected on the onehand to the distributing valve means 15 and on the other hand to themain piston rod 2 so that in response to a given stroke of the latterthe actuating means will displace the distributing valve means 15between its positions. Thus, referring to FIG. 1 it will be seen thatwhen the piston rod 2 has been lowered sufliciently the pawl 18 willengage the ratchet wheel 16 and turn it through an increment which willdisplace the distributing valve means 15 between the positions thereofshown in FIGS. 3 and 4. During upward movement of the bars 17 theratchet wheel 16 is not turned while during the next downward stroke ofthe piston rod 2 the pawl 18 will again actuate the ratchet wheel 16 soas to return the distributing valve means 15 back to the position it hadprior to the previous actuation of the distributing valve means. Thus,this actuating means A of the invention will successively place thedistributing valve means in the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The above described structures operate in the following manner:

The apparatus of the invention is suspended by the suspending means 1 ona lifting and lowering device C, such as on the hook of a suitablecrane, as indicated schematically at the upper part of FIG. 1. As aresult of the force of gravity, the main cylinder 5 will simply slidedownwardly along the main piston 3, and since the non-return valve means4 is closed at this time liquid will flow from the reservoir 6 throughthe lower conduit 30 into the space of the cylinder 5 beneath the piston3 so as to fill the space in the cylinder 5 beneath the piston 3 duringan increase in the volume of this latter space. At the same time, withthe distributing valve means 15 in the position of FIG. 3, the liquidwhich is displaced out of the space above the main piston 3 in thecylinder 5 flows through the upper conduit 32 and the distributing valvemeans 15 into the auxiliary conduit 42 so as to enter the space of eachauxiliary cylinder 13 above the auxiliary piston 14 to displace thelatter downwardly so that the piston rods 40 will turn the arms 11downwardly, thus moving the arms outwardly away from each other andplacing the releasable holding means H in its open; release position.

The apparatus of the invention is then lowered onto a mold 20 with theram means 9 aligned with the top end of the ingot 21. When the ram 9engages the ingot 21, the ram 9 and the ram piston 8 will remainstationary while the ram cylinder 7 together with the support means Sand the main cylinder 5 are lowered so that the space in the ramcylinder 7 above the ram piston 8 diminishes in its volume and theliquid at this time is displaced out of this latter space through theram conduit 34 and the distributing valve means 15, which still has theposition of FIG. 3, into the return flow conduit 46 and thus back intothe reservoir 6. This operation continues until the projections 12engage the upper end face of the mold 20 at opposed parts thereof, andnow with the projections 12 engaging the top end of the mold 20 thedevice C is actuated to continue the downward movement of the hookthereof, so that while the cylinders 5 and 7 remain stationary thepiston 2 continues to move downwardly with the piston 3 approaching thebottom end of the cylinder 5 and the fluid in the latter flowing throughthe nonreturn valve 4 from the space beneath to the space above thepiston 3. This operation is continued until the pawl 18 engages theratchet wheel 16 so as to displace the distributing valve from theposition of FIG. 3 into the position of FIG. 4. This will result inplacing the auxiliary conduit 42 in communication with the return fiowconduit 46, and now because the arms 10 of the bell crank levers of thereleasable holding means H are heavier than the arms 11 thereof, thebell crank levers will swing from the position of FIG. 3 into theposition of FIG. 4 and the arms 11 will raise the piston rods 40 and thepistons 14 displacing the liquid out of the cylinders 13 through theconduits 42 and the return flow conduit 46 into the reservoir 6. In thisway the arms 10 extend beneath and engage the lugs 38.

Now the operator will raise the hook of the lifting and lowering deviceC so that the piston 3 moves upwardly in the cylinder 5, and thus liquidis displaced out of the space in the cylinder 5 above the piston 3through the upper conduit 32 and the distributing valve means 15 intothe ram conduit 34 so as to be forced into the space of the ram cylinder7 over the piston 8 therein, thus pressing the ram means 9 downwardlyagainst the top end of the ingot 21 while simultaneously pulling up onthe mold 20. In this way the mold 20 is stripped from the ingot 21.

If it should happen that the stroke of the piston 8 is insufficient tostrip the mold 20 from the ingot 21, the operator can simply lower thepiston 3 in the cylinder 5 so as to displace liquid through thenonreturn valve means 4 into the space over the piston 3, and thisoperation will take place because the nonreturn valve means 19 preventsfluid from entering through the conduit 32 into the cylinder 5. However,care is taken at this time to lower the piston rod 2 through a strokewhich is too short to provide for displacement of the distributing valvemeans 15, so that the parts will remain in the position of FIG. 4. Nowthe operator can again raise the piston rod 2 so as to displaceadditional liquid into the ram cylinder 7 over the ram piston 8 so as toreliably strip the mold 20 from the ingot 21, in the event that such asecond increment of movement of the ram means 9 and cylinder 7, one withrespect to the other, is required.

When the mold has thus been stripped from the ingot, it is possible totransport the mold into the yard or the like where the molds are stored,using the apparatus of the invention, and then the mold 20 is simplylowered onto a suitable pad and the piston rod 2 is lowered until theactuating means A returns the distributing valve means 15 into theposition of FIG. 3 so that during the immediately following raising ofthe piston rod 2 liquid will be displaced into the auxiliary cylinders13 over the pistons 14 to lower the piston rods 40 and displace thereleasable holding means to its release position releasing the mold 20.

Now the parts again have the position of FIG. 3, the previously strippedmold is released, and the apparatus can be placed over the next moldwhich is to be stripped, the releasable holding means H being in itsrelease position so that it will extend over the top end of the mold asdescribed above in connection with FIG. 3, and of course the cylinder 7can simply be lowered downwardly along the piston 8 after the ram means9 engages the top end of the next ingot 21. In this way the aboveoperations will be repeated with the releasable holding meansautomatically assuming its holding position shown in FIG. 4 as soon asthe actuating means A has displaced the valve means 15 from the positionof FIG. 3 into that of FIG. 4 in the manner described above.

It is apparent that the structure of FIGS. 1-4 can also be used simplyto transport molds 20 in which case the ram means 9 would simply remainin its position extending from the cylinder 7 without engaging any ingotand the structure otherwise operating in the manner described above. Ifdesired, the structure can be designed simply as a mold transportingdevice, omitting the ram structure. In this event when the parts havethe position of FIG. 4 and a mold has been transported to a desiredlocation the piston rod 2 can be lowered until the actuating means Adisplaces the valve means 15 to the position of FIG. 3 whereupon thepiston rod 2 is raised so as to displace the releasable holding means Hto its open position, and the structure can now be placed on anothermold to carry and transport the latter to a desired location in themanner described above. The ram structure simply will not participate inthe operation at this time.

The embodiment of FIGS. 5-8 is adapted to be used with ingots and moldswhose upper ends are larger than their lower ends, these ingots 21having a dead head at its upper end. In this embodiment the releasableholding means H is in the form of a lazy tongs composed of the linkagewhich has upper links pivotally connected to the support means S andwhich have lower shear-type links pivotally connected by a verticallydisplaceable pivot pin which is connected to the bottom end of thepiston rod 14a which projects from the auxiliary piston 14 in thisembodiment. In this embodiment the pair of piston rods 14a are pivotallyconnected to opposite ends of the vertically displaceable pin of thelazy-tongs 10'. Moreover, there are a pair of ram cylinders 7 carryingram pistons 8 and a pair of ram means 9 projecting therefrom to engagethe upper face of the mold 20 at opposed parts thereof, as isparticularly apparent from FIG. 6. The ram conduit 34 of this embodimentcommunicates with both of the cylinders 7 over the pistons 8,respectively, and in addition it will be noted from FIGS. 7 and 8 thatin this embodiment the ram conduits 34 branch from the auxiliaryconduits 42 which communicate with the spaces in the cylinders 13 overthe pistons 14 therein. This embodiment also has additional auxiliaryconduits 50 respectively communicating with the spaces in the cylinders13 beneath the pistons 14 and with the distributing valve means 15, sothat in this embodiment the cylinders 13 and pistons 14 aredouble-acting.

Except for the above differences the structure of FIGS. 58 is the sameas that of FIGS. 1-4 and operates in the following manner:

Assuming that the apparatus of the invention is suspended on a crane andthat the distributing valve means 15 has the position of FIG. 7, then asthe main cylinder 5 moves downwardly with respect to the main piston 3,the liquid which is displaced through the upper conduit 32 enters intothe space of the cylinders 13 beneath the pistons 14, through theauxiliary conduits 50, so as to raise the auxiliary pistons 14 and thusplace the releasable holding means of this embodiment in its releaseposition shown in FIG. 7. The apparatus is now lowered onto a mold withthe pair of ram means 9 engaging the top end of the mold at opposedparts thereof, and as the cylinders 7 move downwardly with respect tothe pistons 8 the fluid is displaced through the ram conduits 34 and thedistributing valve means 15 along the return flow conduit 46 back to thereservoir 6. At the end of the downward movement of the support means Sand the structure carried thereby, the piston rod 2 continues to movedown so that the actuating means A actuates the distributing valve means15 to displace it from the position of FIG. 7 into the position of FIG.8.

When the crane is now lifted the upward movement of the piston 3displaces liquid through the upper conduit 32 and the distributing valvemeans 15 on the one hand into the cylinders 13 over the pistons 14 andon the other hand into the cylinders 7 over the pistons 8, so that thereleasable holding means H assumes its holding position gripping the topend of the ingot While simultaneously the pair of ram means 9 arepressed against the top end of the mold 20. The return flow conduit 46at this time communicates with the lower spaces of the cylinders 13 toreceive fluid from the conduits 50. Thus, the ingot 21 is stripped fromthe mold 241 and can be transported to any desired location after whichthe crane is again lowered so as to displace the piston rod 2 downwardlyto cause the actuating means A to return the distributing valve means 15to the position of FIG. 7, whereupon during the subsequent upwardmovement of the piston rod 2 the releasable holding means H will bereturned to its release position releasing the ingot. Now the aboveoperations can be repeated.

The diameters of the cylinders 5 and 7 and of rod 2 are selected so asto provide a proper the development of the force required to clamp andstrip the mold therefrom. This force is automatically by the weight ofthe apparatus, that of the mold and ingot, without the use of the pistonratio for the ingot developed including any other driving structure. Allof the stripping operations are brought about exclusively by the up anddown movements of the lifting and lowering device C, which can be anysuitable crane. Thus, the operation of the apparatus of the invention isexceedingly simple, and its structure is inexpensive.

The apparatus can be suspended from any standard lifting and loweringdevice. It can easily be removed from the crane which can then be usedfor other purposes. The crane can be provided with a turnable frame sothat with the apparatus of the invention the molds can be turned, andthus a very expensive stripper crane can be replaced by the apparatus ofthe invention. It is apparent that the structure of the invention willsave considerable investment as well as handling and maintenance costs.

The embodiment of FIGS. 5-8 also can be used only with the releasableholding means H and the auxiliary cylinders 13 and pistons 14 foractuating the releasable holding means, in which case the ram assembliescan either be omitted or simply not used. With such a construction thelazy tongs can simply be used for transporting ingots. With such anarrangement the tongs can be placed in the open position of FIG. 7 inthe manner described above and lowered onto an ingot. When the tonglevers engage the ingot and after the piston rod 2 has been lowered sothat the actuating means A has displaced the distributing valve means 15from the position of FIG. 7 into that of FIG. 8, the subsequent raisingof the piston rod 2 will result in automatic gripping of the ingot whichcan then be transferred to any desired location. When the ingot has beentransported in this way to a desired location in the yard or the like,the apparatus is lowered so that the distributing valve means 15 will bereturned to the position of FIG. 7, thus resulting during subsequentraising of the piston rod 2 in opening of the tongs 10 and release ofthe ingot.

It will be noted that with this embodiment also the structure works in afully automatic manner requiring no separate mechanical drive for thetongs. They are actuated exclusively by the lifting and loweringmovements of the device C from which the apparatus of the invention canbe easily removed whenever desired.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus which is to be used with ingots and the like:

(a) support means including a main cylinder which extends substantiallyvertically during use of the apparatus,

(b) a main piston slidable in said main cylinder so that said maincylinder and main piston are vertically displaceable one relative to theother,

(c) a main piston rod fixed to said main piston and extending from thelatter upwardly beyond said main cylinder where said piston rod has anupper end situated at the exterior of said main cylinder,

(d) suspending means connected to said upper end of said piston rod forsuspending the latter and said main piston therewith from a lifting andlowering device during use of the apparatus,

(e) nonreturn valve means carried by said main piston and providingcommunication between spaces in said main cylinder above and below saidmain piston, said nonreturn valve means providing for free flow of fluidfrom the space in said main cylinder beneath said main piston to thespace in said main cylinder over said main piston during movement ofsaid main piston and main cylinder one with respect to the other in adirection which reduces the volume of the space beneath said main pistonwhile increasing the volume of the space thereover, said nonreturn valvemeans preventing flow of fluid from the space over said main piston backto the space beneath said main piston during movement of said mainpiston and main cylinder one with respect to the other in a directionwhich reduces the volume of the space over (f) a lower conduit (1) anauxiliary piston slidable said main piston while the volume therebeneathincreases,

communicating permanently with the space in said main cylinder beneathsaid main piston,

(g) a reservoir communicating permanently with said lower conduit sothat the space in said main cylinder beneath said main piston is inpermanent communication with fluid in the reservoir through said lowerconduit,

(h) an upper conduit communicating permanently with the space in saidmain cylinder over said rnain piston,

(i) second nonreturn valve means operatively con- (j) releasable holdingmeans for releasably holding a part which is to be worked on by theapparatus, said releasable holding means being carried by said supportmeans and being displaceable between a holding position where saidreleasable holding means securely holds the part and a release positionwhere said releasable holding means releases the part,

(k) an auxiliary cylinder carried by said support means,

in said auxiliary cylinder and having an auxiliary piston rod fixed tosaid auxiliary piston and extending therefrom outwardly beyond saidauxiliary cylinder, said auxiliary piston rod coacting at the exteriorof said auxiliary cylinder with said releasable holding means fordisplacing the latter from one to the other of said positions thereofduring movement of said auxiliary piston and said auxiliary cylinder onewith respect to the other in one direction,

(m) an auxiliary conduit communicating with said auxiliary cylinder atone side of said auxiliary piston and providing for fluid flow into andout of said auxiliary cylinder at said one side of said auxiliary pistonduring movement of the latter and said auxiliary cylinder one withrespect to the other in opposed directions, respectively,

(n) a return flow conduit communicating with said reservoir forreturning fluid thereto, and

(o) distributing valve means communicating with said upper conduit, saidauxiliary conduit, and said return flow conduit and having a pair ofpositions in one of which said distributing valve means directs fluidfrom said space over said main piston during a reduction in volume ofthe latter space to said auxiliary conduit to enter into said auxiliarycylinder for displacing said auxiliary piston to move said releasableholding means from one to the other of the positions thereof and in theother of which said distributing valve means prevents communicationbetween said upper conduit and auxiliary conduit while providingcommunication between said auxiliary conduit and said return flowconduit so that said auxiliary piston can move in an opposite directionin said auxiliary cylinder during displacement of said releasableholding means back from said other to said one position thereof.

2. The combination of claim 1, further comprising: (p) a ram cylindercarried by said support means at an elevation lower than said maincylinder,

(q) a ram piston slidable in said ram cylinder, (r) ram means fixed tosaid ram piston and extending therefrom downwardly through and beyondsaid ram cylinder for pressing against a part which is to be worked onduring an increase in the volume of the space in said ram cylinder whichis situated over said ram piston, and

(s) a ram conduit communicating with the space in said ram cylinder oversaid ram piston and also communicating with said distributing valvemeans, said distributing valve means, when in said one posi tionthereof, interrupting communicating between said upper conduit and saidram conduit while directing fluid from said upper conduit to saidauxiliary conduit and simultaneously providing communicating betweensaid ram conduit and said return flow conduit, and said distributingvalve means when in said other position thereof providing communicationbetween said upper conduit and said ram conduit while directing fluidfrom said auxiliary conduit to said return flow conduit.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein the space in said ram cylinderbeneath said ram piston communicates with the outer atmosphere.

4. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said auxiliary conduitcommunicates with the space in said auxiliary cylinder which is situatedover said auxiliary piston, the space in said auxiliary cylinder beneathsaid auxiliary piston communicating with the outer atmosphere and saidauxiliary conduit when receiving fluid from said upper conduit directingthe fluid into said space of said auxiliary cylinder over said auxiliarypiston to actuate said auxiliary piston rod to move said releasableholding means from said holding to said release position thereof.

5. The combination of claim 4 and further comprising: carried by saidsupport (p) a ram cylinder fixedly means coaxially with said maincylinder and situated beneath the latter,

(q) a ram piston slidable in said ram cylinder,

(r) ram means carried by said ram piston and extending therefromdownwardly beyond said ram cylinder for engaging and pressing againstthe top end of an ingot during an increase in the volume of the spacewithin said ram cylinder which is over said ram piston, and

(s) a ram conduit communicating with the space in said ram cylinder oversaid ram piston and also communicating with said distributing valvemeans, the space within said ram cylinder beneath said ram pistoncommunicating with the outer atmosphere, and said distributing valvemeans when in said other position thereof directing fluid from saidupper conduit to said ram conduit, while said auxiliary conduitcommunicates through said distributing valve means with said return flowconduit, said distributing valve means providing communication betweensaid ram conduit and return flow conduit when said distributing valvemeans is in said one position providing communication between said upperconduit and said auxiliary conduit.

6. The combination of claim 5 and wherein said releasable holding meansincludes at least one bell crank pivotally carried by said supportmeans, having one arm adapted to engage a lug of an ingot mold, andhaving another arm engaged by said auxiliary piston rod.

7. The combination of claim 5 and wherein an actuating means isoperatively connected on the one hand with said distributing valve meansand on the other hand with said main piston rod for responding tomovement of the latter through a given stroke to displace saiddistributing valve means between said positions thereof.

8. The combination of claim 6 and wherein said releasable holding meansincludes a second bell crank having a lug-engaging arm for engaging asecond lug of an ingot mold and having a second arm, a second auxiliarycylinder and auxiliary piston slidable therein with a second auxiliarypiston rod engaging said second arm of said second bell crank, and asecond auxiliary conduit communicating with said auxiliary cylinder andwith said distributing valve means to be controlled simultaneously withand in the same way as said first mentioned auxiliary conduit to provideactuation of said second bell crank in unison with said first mentionedbell crank.

9. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said auxiliary cylinder has aspace therein beneath said auxiliary piston communicating with saidauxiliary conduit for raising said auxiliary piston rod when saidauxiliary conduit communicates through said distributing valve meanswith said upper conduit, said releasable holding means having theconstruction of a lazy tongs the free ends of which are adapted to gripan end of an ingot, and said auxiliary piston rod coacting with saidlazy tongs for displacing the latter to a release pOSitiOn duringmovement of said auxiliary piston in said auxiliary cylinder in anupward direction while said auxiliary conduit receives fluid from saidupper conduit, and a second auxiliary conduit communicating with thespace in said auxiliary cylinder over said auxiliary piston therein andalso communicating with said distributing valve means to receive fluidfrom said upper conduit when said distributing valve means is in saidother position connecting said first mentioned auxiliary conduit withsaid return flow conduit, whereby when said distributing valve means isin said other position thereof fluid under pressure will be receivedfrom said upper conduit and delivered to the space over said auxiliarypiston to displace the latter downwardly for placing said lazy tongs inthe gripping position thereof.

10. The combination of claim 9 and further comprising:

(p) a ram cylinder carried by said support means at an elevation lowerthan said main cylinder,

(q) a ram piston slidable in said ram cylinder,

(r) ram means fixed to said ram piston and extending therefromdownwardly beyond said ram cylinder for engaging an ingot mold andpressing against the latter during an increase in the volume of thespace within said ram cylinder over said ram piston, and

(s) a ram conduit communicating with the space in said ram cylinder oversaid. ram piston and communicating with said second auxiliary conduitfor directing fluid under pressure into said ram cylinder over said rampiston when fluid under pressure is delivered into said auxiliarycylinder over said auxiliary piston, the space in said ram cylinderbeneath said ram piston communicating with the outer atmosphere.

11. The combination of claim 9 and wherein an actuating means isconnected on the one hand to said distri-buting valve means and on theother hand to said main piston rod for displacing said distributingvalve means between said positions thereof in response to movement ofsaid main piston rod through a given stroke.

12. The combination of claim 1 and wherein an actuating means isconnected on the one hand with said distributing valve means and on theother hand with said main piston rod for automatically displacing saiddistributing valve means between said positions thereof in response tomovement of said main piston rod through a given stroke.

13. The combination of claim 12 and wherein said actuating meansincludes a rotary ratchet fixed to said distributing valve means fordisplacing the latter between said positions in response to turning ofsaid ratchet, and a pawl actuating said ratchet and connected to saidmain piston rod for movement therewith.

14. The combination of claim 13 and wherein said actuating meansincludes an elongated bar carrying said pawl at one end thereof andcarried at its other end by said main piston rod, and said support meansguiding said bar for longitudinal movement to direct said pawl along apath where it Will engage said ratchet wheel.

15. The combination of claim 2 and wherein an actuating means isoperatively connected on the one hand with said distributing valve meansand on the other hand with said main piston rod for displacing saiddistributing valve means between said positions thereof in response tomovement of said main piston rod through a given stroke.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 801,136 10/1905 Cheeuer 1644082,641,806 6/1953 Leckrone 294-88 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,157,745 11/1963Germany.

EDWARD A. SROKA, Primary Examiner. H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner.

